Srinagar: A day after being side-lined from the Hurriyat Conference, fire-brand Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on May 25 said he was keeping away from the separatist amalgam to protest its inaction against People's Conference, which contested the last Assembly elections through dummy candidates.

"This talk of me not keeping good health is baseless. In fact, I am keeping away from Hurriyat as it has failed to take action against People's Conference, which indirectly contested the last Assembly polls," Geelani said.

Geelani said as Hurriyat had given a poll boycott call, it should have taken action according to its constitution against those who violated the policy of the amalgam.

Shiekh Ali Mohammad, who took up the Jamaat representative position in the Hurriyat executive council following Geelani's arrest in August last year, has now been asked by the party chief G M Bhat to continue till Geelani recovers fully.

Geelani, who was considered as a hardliner in the Hurriyat, said proximity of state Forest Minister Sofi Ghulam Mohiuddin to slain leader Abdul Gani Lone was too well known to be ignored at the time of his contesting the elections.

"I think the Lone family's proximity to the Minister is well known and in all probability, the ministry might be run by them only. Indirectly, People's Conference is with the government," he alleged.

He said he failed to understand as to why action was not taken against the party, which had deviated from the amalgam's policy.

PTI